From a seat in the rear of the room, observe your students and take notes on what they are doing while the teacher is presenting in the front of the room, while they are supposed to be taking notes, doing seatwork, and/or when they are working in the lab. Look closely at each student for a range of behaviors, and resist the temptation on only see what you expect. Note especially what is happening furthest from the teacher.
What strategies are used by your CT to encourage students to attend and engage? Watch carefully how your CT moves around the room. Draw a map of the classroom and sketch a path showing (approximately) this movement.
How important is student engagement to your view of how you will teach? What strategies will you employ to encourage student engagement?
Adam Scott - Cole Middle School, East Greenwich
During Class Introductions/Work
talking (a lot)
not paying attention
eating
spinning in chairs
Movement/Engagement
Mr. Scott navigates around the large, open classroom with ease. The unfortunate part about having such a large open floor space is that when he is turned, his back is often to half of the class, if not in the front of the learning space. However, he does hit each area within minutes of one another, reaching all students and their needs with high accessibility at all times. It seems the students feel very comfortable going to Mr. Scott with all of their needs. The class stays engaged through many short, various activities that do not exceed their attention span or through self-instructed virtual labs which they have control over. This gives them freedom to learn and explore at their own pace.
Tom Doran - North Kingstown High School
During Class Introductions/Work
staring off into space
eating
doodling
whispering/talking
reading non-related material
Movement/Engagment
Mr. Doran's movement throughout the room is fluid. He doesn't stay in one place for extreme periods of time (about 5 minutes tops) during class introductions and conversations. Typically, when lecturing, Mr. Doran stands to the side of the room, but near enough to advance the slides of the PPTs. I have observed him hand out interactive fill-ins and materials that coincide with the lecture. I find that these extra materials help encourage the students to remain on task.
His classes and the way the students behave at different times within the class are unique. Most students do not engage much or often during opening conversations; it is generally the same few consistently. However, when class instruction begins formally, all are attentive, as they must be, because Mr. Doran talks with such a quiet voice that it is difficult to hear him. If they are not paying attention, they will miss the notes and the concepts.
Mr. Doran likes to give his students a lot of free work and problems to be completed in lab groups or on their own. He is very helpful when it comes to aiding students towards success with these assignments, and his students aim to please him and do well. I believe this method works well for his students. They become responsible for their own bodies of work and encourage their own learning at this time, rather than being demanded to learn and preform to certain levels.
Ron Kenyon- North Kingstown High School
During Class Introductions/Work
texting
talking
not paying attention
completing other class work
eating
Movement/Engagement
Due to the unique arrangement of Mr. Kenyon's room, it is difficult to move throughout the space freely. Lucky for Mr. Kenyon, he has a loud, undeniable presence in a room. This commands attention and hits all students without necessarily being near all students at all time. His nature is accessible that students seem to feel comfortable around. At times I wonder if the students feel too comfortable in Mr. Kenyon's classroom and become more laid-back and disinterested then they should be. They seem to be more careless then other high school science classrooms I have observed because Mr. Kenyon carries himself in a more careless matter. Students remain engaged with the huge amount of real world applications Mr. Kenyon supplies them with. This allows the students to really connect with the material and find means to make sense of the subject matter in their own terms.
Reflection
Engagement comes through a variety of practices. It is important to use many different types of engagement to hit all target groups and learning styles. This helps personalize students learning which many of them need. Fluidity in classroom is a huge support to learning, though you can have a successful classroom without movement in extreme amounts. I feel showing accessibility to all areas, groups and needs, can make up for a lack of actual movement or specific connections to students. When students can feel cared about, they will generally respond well, with a certain level of interest, engagement and trust. Establishing this is one of the upmost important pieces to success student teacher relationships in a classroom.
Interesting account of your teachers' movements, but little on what your students were doing. You should observe them carefully before you begin teaching, as it may be eye-opening.
What strategies are used by your CT to encourage students to attend and engage? Watch carefully how your CT moves around the room. Draw a map of the classroom and sketch a path showing (approximately) this movement.
How important is student engagement to your view of how you will teach? What strategies will you employ to encourage student engagement?
Adam Scott - Cole Middle School, East Greenwich
During Class Introductions/Work
Movement/Engagement
Mr. Scott navigates around the large, open classroom with ease. The unfortunate part about having such a large open floor space is that when he is turned, his back is often to half of the class, if not in the front of the learning space. However, he does hit each area within minutes of one another, reaching all students and their needs with high accessibility at all times. It seems the students feel very comfortable going to Mr. Scott with all of their needs. The class stays engaged through many short, various activities that do not exceed their attention span or through self-instructed virtual labs which they have control over. This gives them freedom to learn and explore at their own pace.
Tom Doran - North Kingstown High School
During Class Introductions/Work
Movement/Engagment
Mr. Doran's movement throughout the room is fluid. He doesn't stay in one place for extreme periods of time (about 5 minutes tops) during class introductions and conversations. Typically, when lecturing, Mr. Doran stands to the side of the room, but near enough to advance the slides of the PPTs. I have observed him hand out interactive fill-ins and materials that coincide with the lecture. I find that these extra materials help encourage the students to remain on task.
His classes and the way the students behave at different times within the class are unique. Most students do not engage much or often during opening conversations; it is generally the same few consistently. However, when class instruction begins formally, all are attentive, as they must be, because Mr. Doran talks with such a quiet voice that it is difficult to hear him. If they are not paying attention, they will miss the notes and the concepts.
Mr. Doran likes to give his students a lot of free work and problems to be completed in lab groups or on their own. He is very helpful when it comes to aiding students towards success with these assignments, and his students aim to please him and do well. I believe this method works well for his students. They become responsible for their own bodies of work and encourage their own learning at this time, rather than being demanded to learn and preform to certain levels.
Ron Kenyon - North Kingstown High School
During Class Introductions/Work
Movement/Engagement
Due to the unique arrangement of Mr. Kenyon's room, it is difficult to move throughout the space freely. Lucky for Mr. Kenyon, he has a loud, undeniable presence in a room. This commands attention and hits all students without necessarily being near all students at all time. His nature is accessible that students seem to feel comfortable around. At times I wonder if the students feel too comfortable in Mr. Kenyon's classroom and become more laid-back and disinterested then they should be. They seem to be more careless then other high school science classrooms I have observed because Mr. Kenyon carries himself in a more careless matter. Students remain engaged with the huge amount of real world applications Mr. Kenyon supplies them with. This allows the students to really connect with the material and find means to make sense of the subject matter in their own terms.
Reflection
Engagement comes through a variety of practices. It is important to use many different types of engagement to hit all target groups and learning styles. This helps personalize students learning which many of them need. Fluidity in classroom is a huge support to learning, though you can have a successful classroom without movement in extreme amounts. I feel showing accessibility to all areas, groups and needs, can make up for a lack of actual movement or specific connections to students. When students can feel cared about, they will generally respond well, with a certain level of interest, engagement and trust. Establishing this is one of the upmost important pieces to success student teacher relationships in a classroom.
Interesting account of your teachers' movements, but little on what your students were doing. You should observe them carefully before you begin teaching, as it may be eye-opening.